The headlines eulogised women’s empowerment while political parties rushed to claim credit for a long overdue Bill that earmarked 33% of seats in Parliament and the assemblies for women.

In earlier avatars, the Bill had been introduced in 1996, cleared the upper house in 2010, and then quietly died. Even in September 2023, when the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was signed into law, we knew it wasn’t going to kick in soon. There was a process, we were told. First a census, due in 2021 but delayed because of the pandemic. Then, based on population, constituencies redrawn and a new electoral map that could see as many as 750-plus Lok Sabha seats.

Then, and only then, would women’s reservation kick in. Why the delay? Nobody has ever explained but one can only assume that by earmarking the additional seats for women, men would be mollified that “their” seats would........

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